Wedding is a Four Letter Word
by Just Your Average Girl
Summary: When 19 year old Zack finally gets news from Maddie, who left to New York four years ago, it's an invitation: to her wedding. How will he cope with his resurfacing feelings for Maddie? And more importantly, will he fight for the one woman he loves?REWRITE
1. Maddie's Getting What?

A/N: Hello all! This being the first fanfiction I ever started, I chanced upon it once again while cleaning out my desktop, and smiled inwardly at the poor grammar, the lack of detail, and the childish writing I had two years ago. I can't seem to delete it, because it's my first story, so I've decided to completely rewrite and reupload it. After I've revamped the first two chapters, I can get set writing up the rest of the story.

As always, leave a review!

Disclaimer: I do not own the Suite Life of Zack and Cody, or any of the characters

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**Wedding is a Four Letter Word**

_Maddie's Getting What!?_

"I'm back!" cried Cody from the door, key, wallet, groceries and mail in hand. He was a veritable balancing act. Cold December winds blew into the Back Bay apartment building, threatening to blow down both Cody and his heavy accessories. He sighed, slammed the door with his foot, and glanced at his twin brother. "Uh... Zack... A little help would be nice."

Zack grunted and looked up nonchalantly from the couch, where he held a bowl of buttered popcorn and the TV remote. "Oh yeah? Well so would an ice cold can of Coca Cola, but you don't see me complaining for one," he quipped, his eyebrow cocked in a defiant look. Zack's eyes rested again on the TV screen.

Cody sighed and rolled his eyes. Nineteen years living with him, and he still could never get used to how unnerving he could be. After getting all the groceries into the fridge, Cody sat at the table and sorted through the mail.

"Junk... junk... junk... bill... ju - oh! Hey, this is for you and I, Zack." said Cody, tossing the beige envelope on the table. Scrawled in neat cursive handwriting were their two names, with an elegant stamp of a dove returned to its perch.

"Huh?" asked Zack.

"Yeah, see for yourself."

He rose from the comfort of the couch and headed over to the table. Scrunching his face into a curious expression, he picked up the envelope and opened it. Inside was a single piece of cream paper, with the same neat scrawl as the envelope.

_You are formally invited to the celebration of the eternal union of Madeline and Benjamin.__  
The ceremony will take place on Saturday, the fourteenth of February two thousand and fourteen at 3 o' clock in the afternoon.__  
Saint Paul Church  
Boston, Massachusetts_

Maddie was getting _married_. Zack stared at the paper in dismay, scanning the words again and again.

She had moved to New York four years ago. She'd had her fill of Boston, she said, and she wanted to explore a big city like, well, Manhattan. At first, she and Zack had entertained a healthy correspondence, writing every week. It became a habit, a ritual for Zack to hear of her news. Every Saturday, he filtered through the junk and bills and useless catalogues to reach the perk of his week. Her letters were melancholy at first, and he spent his time reassuring her that everything would be alright. He never forgot to remind her how smart, wonderful, and talented she was. Then, after she found a good steady job, she started writing less and less. Later hours and more time spent enriching her life made the letters fewer and farther apart. And Zack remained happy for her – he knew she'd found herself a niche.

Then the letters simply stopped arriving. He waited patiently every Saturday for the post man – he was a nice guy, and Zack had made his acquaintance over the years writing to Maddie – but he brought with him no sign of the girl he loved.

He had picked up the phone so many times, wanting to call. And sometimes, he had gone through with it, only to hang up when he finally heard Maddie's sweet voice on the other end, his palms sweaty and his heart racing furiously. He had visited New York twice since she'd moved there, only to wander around, wondering if he would see her perchance.

It was painful, and he had willed himself to move on. He had somehow managed to do it. Or so he had thought. He had gone out with many beautiful girls, some even that he argued might rival the love he had for Maddie. He had matured from a shallow boy to a deeper man. Looks were great and all, but he'd grown tired of seeing past the enticing appeal of beauty and finding nothing but air. Over the years, having trained a much finer appreciation of women, he'd imagined himself to be well off without his childhood crush.

Now, holding the singular piece of paper in his hand, he knew it to be a lie. He imagined her smile, her laugh, everything beautiful and brilliant about her that lit any room she entered. His heart clenched, and tears threatened to spill from his eyes. His heart painfully remembered with startling clarity just how much he loved her, and awakened to the wrenching truth that he would never _have_ her.

He would never be able to tell her how much she meant to him, or get over how much it hurt when he finally admitted to himself that she was never going to notice him, or express how much joy she brought into his life. No one, even his own twin brother, had fathomed his love for her, had been able to gauge exactly how much he adored her. She was his everything, and she had found someone else.

These thoughts raced into his mind, like a million paper birds fluttering in all directions. He collapsed on the floor.

"Hey Zack? You alright there?" asked Cody, peering over the edge of the table. Silently, he handed him the invitation. Silence filled the room for what seemed like many long moments.

"Wow. She found someone." was all Cody could say, dumbfounded. Zack simply looked away, deep in thought.

"Are you going to be alright Zack?" asked Cody, looking at his brother. He _knew_ just what it meant to him. Over the years, he had known that Zack had tried earnestly to forget about Maddie and move on with his life, but he knew it was all in vain. He'd somehow always known that he'd never gotten over her, not really.

"I think I'll go out for a walk" said Zack finally, his voice cracking slightly.

He got up and walked out the door. Cody stared at the closed door for a while and shook his head. Somehow, he knew that Zack would never really get over her.

Zack put his hands casually in his pockets. He walked slowly through the Boston Commons and observed. Children played in the park, maybe around twelve or thirteen years of age. He smiled to himself and remembered what it was like for him to be so young. He was filled of memories of him and Maddie. The candy counter girl. The reason why he wanted the end-of-school bell to ring, so he could rush over to the hotel and just get a glimpse of the girl of his dreams. The girl who never noticed him no matter how hard he'd tried. The girl who left the Tipton, and a hole in Zack's life. The girl who was getting married, without ever knowing how he really felt. The girl he would never have. He sighed deeply, and shook these thoughts away, pulling his chin deeper into the recesses of his coat. The cold winds gained in strength, and his unruly honey hair billowed in the wind. His eyes wandered once more.

They rested on a young couple. They seemed around twenty years of age. He watched as their fingers intertwined, and the man wrapped his arm around her lithe waist. She nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck. He heard her giggle and was reminded of Maddie. Even her soft blonde hair bounced in the same fashion as hers did. Actually, come to think of it...

"Maddie?" realized Zack. The woman turned around and their eyes met. She cocked her head playfully

"Yes?"

"It's... it's Zack."

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Author's Notes: Ta-dah! And there is the first chapter! Review please, this is of a completely different style than I usually write, so comments and criticism are always accepted. As for the second chapter, please read the old version (still up) and tell me what you think should be changed. Thanks a lot, don't forget to review!!!


	2. Why Does Love Have To Hurt So Much?

A/N: Hey, welcome back! If you're reading this, it means you're at the second rewritten chapter! Yay me! After this, it'll be all new chapters, so as usual, I'd love to get reviews with ideas for future chapters. Who knows, I just might use them. Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review at the end!

Disclaimer: No, I still don't own The Suite Life...

_Why Does Love Have To Hurt So Much? Oh Yeah, Because Life Isn't Fair._

"Maddie?" realized Zack.

The woman turned around and their eyes met. She cocked her head playfully and answered.

"Yes?"

"It's... it's Zack."

Her smile widened, and her eyes shone brilliantly. Zack's heart fluttered. He shyly returned the gesture.

"Zack! I don't believe it! You've changed so much since I last saw you," she replied. She gestured towards the man next to her. "Zack, I'd like you to meet Benjamin, my fiancé. Benji, this is Zack, my old friend from when I used to work at the Tipton."

"_Friend", _she had said. He sighed inwardly. Of course, he was just a friend. That was all he would ever be. Zack's attention turned to Benjamin, who smiled warmly at him. Zack seethed. He felt anger, rage swell inside of him. He felt like punching him hard in the stomach. Instead, Zack faked a smile, and extended his hand, which Benjamin happily shook with a casual "Hey, how do you do?", to which Zack replied with a nod. With some effort, he controlled his emotions. For the moment, at least. The way his teeth were grinding, he would wear all the enamel away.

"Zack, we were just going to head to the café down the road, do you want to join us?" asked Maddie. Zack couldn't help but notice that she was gently caressing the man's fingers, intertwined with her own. It made him sick to see them so sweet together.

He had forlornly hoped that they'd be able to have coffee alone, just the two of them, the way they had before she had moved. He saw now that there was absolutely no chance of that happening.

"Sure, sounds good to me." nodded Zack, shrugging his shoulders. He lamely tried to smile, but it was no use. He watched, hopeless, as Maddie squeezed Benji's hand affectionately. His insides turned over and over, and he felt the need to look away. Seriously, someone was going to get hurt.

As they headed to the café, he fell silent as the couple chattered away a few feet ahead. He watched them from where he was, and guiltily imagined what it would be like if he were the one in Benjamin's place. He would be the one wrapping his arm around her waist, and the one to hold her hand when they walked along the street. He would be the one to tease her gently with tickles, to hear her sweet giggle. He would be the one she would spend the rest of her life with.

"This is it!" exclaimed Maddie, breaking his trail of thought. They stood in front of the café where Zack and Maddie once had their own conversations together. It was where they'd built most of the basis of their friendship, and where he'd fallen deeper in love with her with every passing meeting. "I'll go order us the drinks, why don't you guys find a table?"

Before anyone could object, she'd already gone off to the counter and started conversing with the barista.

Benjamin found the three of them a table next to the window. Zack sat awkwardly next to his tall figure and cleared his throat. He stood a little straighter next to him, to make himself look at least a little taller. He felt kind of insecure, standing next to someone of such stature.

"So," started Benjamin, "Maddie's told me a lot about you."

Zack was slightly stunned for a moment. It took him a moment to reply.

"S-She has?"

"Yeah, you two were like the best of friends before she moved to New York, right? She told me about how you were her number one confidante after she got dumped by her boyfriends, about how you two would always catch your Friday afternoon coffee together, and how she used to call you up at early hours and talk to you about everything."

"Yeah..." Zack's heart clenched, and memories flooded him from years back, when they had been such close friends. He had been the man in her life. Sure, not the way he hoped maybe, but at least he was the most important guy in her life. Now, he'd been replaced by Mr. Tall-and-handsome. If only somehow she'd known that he'd always wanted more. If only he'd had the guts to express his deepest feelings to her. If only...

"Zack, you seem like a really great guy," said Benjamin sincerely, a kind smile on his face. "Especially if Maddie thinks you are. I'd like to get to know you better."

"Uh... yeah, sure," stumbled Zack. He glanced at Benjamin for a moment. Perfect smile, perfect hair, nicely dressed. Next to his own slight frown, mussed hair, and house clothes. Ugh, he looked like such a dork next to him. Uncomfortable, he readjusted himself. Frankly, he didn't want to get to know Benjamin better. He seemed like a perfectly great guy. And that was precisely why he didn't like him.

Maddie came back with a tray of drinks in her hands, three short lattes. She sat down across from Benjamin and handed each of them their drinks.

"So, Zack, how've you been? I've missed you!" Maddie asked as soon as she sat down.

"Good, good. Things are pretty much the same as always here. I, uh, got a job a couple years ago, working the candy counter at the Tipton. Someone had to take the reins, right?" he answered, chuckling dryly at his final statement. He'd taken the job when he was sixteen, and had been working there ever since. When Maddie had stopped writing, his initial reaction had been to fill his life with as many memories of her as he could. And now, all he could do was hope he could forget. Too much pain. Even just sitting at the same table as her gave him a dull pain in his stomach.

"Aww, Zack, that's so cute! I can just imagine – _you_ in a uniform. That would be something to see, huh? The candy counter, wow... So many good memories..." Again the beautiful voice, the beautiful smile.

"How about you Maddie, what... ah... what have you been up to?" he asked politely. He silently hoped she wouldn't mention Benjamin.

"Oh, same old, same old. Well, remember the job I took a couple of years ago? I ended up doing really well, and got promoted – twice! I'm now a Junior Manager for North America. It sounds pretty high and mighty, but really all it means is I'm an assistant. But _still_, right?" she finished. Always so happy, always so optimistic. And he was happy for her, truly he was. But he couldn't help but sink a little deeper when he saw Benjamin take her hand from across the table and squeeze it affectionately, like he was the one who was proud of her. How he wished he could do the same.

"That's really great Maddie, I'm really happy for you," Zack hoped she wouldn't hear the double meaning, nor that she would pick up on his inner sadness. Life really was great for her, and things were finally going her way.

He remembered the late night conversations, filled with stories about bad boyfriends, the fights between her parents, and their subsequent divorce. In those rough times, he had been the one to comfort her, and soothe her, whispering into her hair that she was really a great girl. He hadn't known then how to express to her how much she meant to him. Things had changed since, but it was now much too late.

When Zack returned to the conversation, he realized that the _couple_ was discussing wedding plans. Yuck. Zack took the opportunity to tune out. He stared down into his cup of coffee.

A short latte was what they would share every Friday afternoon. He wondered if she still remembered the long conversations they would have, sitting at that very same table, looking out that very same window. As he took a calculated sip of his drink and the rich, bold, full-bodied coffee slid down his dry throat, he was reminded of just how much he'd missed it all.

He hadn't been to the café since Maddie had left. Ironic as it was, as much as he had tried to fill his thoughts with memories of her before, he couldn't bear to be reminded of their friendship now that she was unavailable. And now, to think that their first meeting after four years would have him sitting next to Maddie's fiancé? Why did it have to turn out this way? Why did it have to be that the only woman that Zack had ever truly loved would get married to another man? Life really wasn't fair.

"What do you think? Roses, or lilies? Zack?" came the sweet sound of Maddie's voice.

He could bear it no longer.

"Zack?"

He would have to come up with some sort of a plan.

"Zack? Are you listening to me?"

A really awesome plan.

"Zack?"

Yes. That would be it. The tipping point.

"Zack? Are you still with us?"

"Uh, lilies."

The only thing left would be to set the plan in motion. The only question was how.

Author's Note: Oh dear, a plotting Zack? He's not even the plotting type! What is his plan? How will he set it into motion? Will it work, or will it fall through? Stay tuned for next chapter! Review and tell me what you think! I've already got some ideas about where this is going, but don't forget to post your ideas, I always take those into consideration when writing up these chapters.


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